Flight Safety Information
February 1, 2011 - No. 023
In This Issue
NTSB to arrive at chopper crash scene Tuesday (Arizona)
Airlines ground planes as monster snow storm approaches
British Airways flight returns to Logan after smell of smoke
Bristol Helicopter to host international aviation safety conference (Nigeria)
Reforms at KCAA to enhance air safety in Kenya
ANZ to begin replacing 737s with new A320s
Crandall joins Southern Air board
Airlines to be allowed to insure against ash risk
NTSB to arrive at chopper crash scene Tuesday (Arizona)
PIMA COUNTY - The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to be on the
scene of Monday's deadly helicopter crash early Tuesday morning. The Pima County
Sheriff's Office has two deputies on the scene to keep watch overnight until
investigators arrive.
The crash killed pilot Loren Leonberger and injured three other people who are at UMC
recovering. Right now, we don't know what caused the chopper to go down West of
Avra Valley Monday morning.
The original 911 call came from one of the victims inside the helicopter. Shortly after
realizing the magnitude of the crash and the obstacles rescue crews would be up
against, different crews from across the area mobilized.
Adam Goldberg from NW Fire District said, "The crews quickly surveyed the area than
went to work both on the ground and in the air."
Deputy Jason Ogan from the Pima County Sheriff's Office said, "Davis-Monthan
provided helicopters. They used a basket to lower down, they extricated them out,
then brought them down to wait in the ambulances and the other choppers to take
them to the hospital."
But the victims weren't the only ones at risk. Crews say the helicopter was teetering on
the edge of the mountain and the rough terrain and heavy winds only made it worse.
Dave Arneson with Northwest Fire Technical Rescue Team went up on the mountain as
part of the rescue effort. He said, "If ever I've seen where you felt like you were in
danger, this was it. I can't speak to the scene but it was very hairy. At one point we
just kept looking at each other to make sure we were safe."
But even with the treacherous and dangerous conditions on the ground he said the
real credit should go to those in the air.
Once back down the mountain, thats when the crews say it all started to hit them.
They had just lost one of their own.
Arneson said, "It really hits home when you settle down and you see the badge and
the uniform. Here in Tucson it's been a rough month."
http://www.kvoa.com/news/ntsb-to-arrive-at-chopper-crash-scene-tuesday/
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Airlines ground planes as monster snow storm approaches
Snowfall, primarily on Tuesday, could be over 12 inches in parts of Missouri and Illinois
Meteorologist: Travelers should brace for a "three, three-and-a-half day event"
Airlines are already allowing passengers to change plans as the storm approaches
(CNN) -- Airlines canceled flights by the hundreds for Tuesday as a massive snow storm
of historic proportions began to coat the nation's heartland with a thick blanket of
snow.
The storm will affect about three-quarters of the United States, from New England to
New Mexico, said CNN meteorologist Rob Marciano. Travelers should brace for a "three,
three-and-a-half day event," he warned.
"Travel will likely be difficult to impossible in many areas," the National Weather Service
said.
Southwest Airlines canceled 337 flights for Tuesday, said spokeswoman Whitney
Eichinger on Monday night -- adding that the situation will be assessed throughout the
day.
Passengers with reservations for travel through Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit and other
cities are eligible to reschedule their flights.
AirTran Airways scrubbed 140 flights for Tuesday and has canceled another 38 flights
on Wednesday, spokesman Christopher White said.
AirTran passengers traveling through two dozen cities in the region -- including
Chicago, St. Louis and Boston -- can change their reservation without penalty.
Delta Air Lines canceled "many" flights, according to spokeswoman Heather Faulkner,
who said the situation will be updated Tuesday morning.
Ahead of the storm, Delta issued a winter weather advisory for the northern United
States. Passengers traveling to airports in 20 states through Friday can reschedule
their itineraries without a fee or get a refund if their flights are canceled or significantly
delayed.
Continental Airlines will allow changes for travel to, through and from nearly three
dozen airports, including the airline's hubs in Newark, New Jersey, and Cleveland,
Ohio, for travelers scheduled to fly between through Thursday.
US Airways has also relaxed its change-fee policies passengers scheduled to fly through
Thursday to or from 27 cities from Portland, Maine, to Akron, Ohio.
Travelers on JetBlue flights to and from six cities and metropolitan areas in the
Northeast on Tuesday and Wednesday will also be able to change their plans with no
fees.
United Airlines has issued travel waivers for passengers traveling to, from or through
Chicago and 17 states in the Midwest and Northeast as well as five Canadian cities.
Travelers will be able to alter their plans without fees or get a full refund if their flight is
canceled.
American Airlines is allowing travelers who are scheduled to fly on Monday through
Thursday from more than 30 airports in the Midwest -- including those in Chicago,
Detroit and Milwaukee, Wisconsin -- to change their plans without penalty.
Snowfall, primarily on Tuesday, could be more than 12 inches in parts of Missouri and
Illinois. Chicago-area airports are monitoring the forecasts and preparing accordingly,
officials said.
"We certainly are concerned any time there are inclement weather conditions," said
Karen Pride, a spokeswoman for the Chicago Department of Aviation. "We add
additional staff as the conditions warrant."
O'Hare International and Midway International are also ready to implement a
passenger assistance program in the event the storm leaves travelers stuck at the
airports. Hundreds of cots will be available and some concessions will remain open to
accommodate any stranded passengers, Pride said.
Nearly all flights from Oklahoma City's Will Rogers World Airport have been canceled
for Tuesday morning, airport spokeswoman Karen Carney said. No arrivals are
expected before 10:30 a.m., Carney said.
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British Airways flight returns to Logan after smell of smoke
A British Airways flight from Boston to London was forced to return to Logan
International Airport this morning after crew members reported smelling smoke in the
cabin.
Phil Orlandella, spokesman for Logan Airport, said Flight 9608 was carrying 13 crew
members and no passengers. The flight landed on Runway 33L at 8:16 a.m.
Boston emergency medical workers responded to the scene, and determined all of the
crew members were unharmed.
Orlandella said that oil had apparently leaked from the auxiliary power unit into an air
conditioning unit, causing it to smoke.
"We checked it out and everything was fine," Orlandella said.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2011/01/british_airways_2.html
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Bristol Helicopter to host international aviation safety conference (Nigeria)
Lagos (WorldStage Newsonline)-- Bristol Helicopter Nigeria Limited said it will host an
international conference on the behavioural aspect of safety in aviation industry
between 8th and 9th February.
The forum with a theme "Fostering a safety Culture" is expected to bring stakeholders
from aviation, oil and gas industry and government circles to discuss the latest trends
in aviation safety.
Speaking at a press briefing on Monday at the the airline office in Lagos, the Managing
Director, Capt Akin Oni, said the conference would address the issue of safety in the
aviation industry in a different perspective that would harp on the behavioural aspect
of safety.
The MD who said some personalities had been secured to speak on safety issues in the
industry, said the they would not look only look at safety in workplace but deal with the
concept in a way to bring the consciousness of participants to the fact the culture of
safety should be imbibed in all their daily interactions.
The event, according to Oni would create opportunity for delegates and guests with like
minds on safety to interact and network among themselves on safety consciousness.
Prominent international key note speakers already secured for the seminar include: Dr.
Harold Demuren , Director General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Samuel
Oduselu, Commissioner Accident Investigations Bureau, David Hutzinger, Vice
President, Fleet Safety Eurocopter, Dave Eherts, Vice President and Chief Safety Officer
Sikorsky, Mark Steven, Director air Safety and Global Projects , Shell Aircraft
International and Patrick Hudson Safety Expert, Leiden University.
http://www.worldstagegroup.com/worldstage/index.php?&id=1855&active=news
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Reforms at KCAA to enhance air safety in Kenya
Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) will be restructured to boost its ability to ensure
air safety.
The reform process would involve modernising radar facilities to enhance air traffic
management and surveillance of Kenyan airspace.
Transport Minister Amos Kimunya said the Government also intends to improve
airports and associated facilities for safer and high quality service delivery.
He said restructuring of KCAA is a critical part of the mechanism also meant to ensure
improved aviation safety by attracting and retaining competent and well-trained
personnel.
He cautioned that without competent staff, safety programmes and management
systems or any other such plans would not bare fruits.
Kimunya made the remarks while opening a Civil Aviation State Safety
Programme/Safety Management System (SSP/SMS) training forum in Nairobi
yesterday.
He appealed to all stakeholders in the sector to support efforts to promote safety,
saying though rivals in business, they must view each other as allies when it comes to
management of safety.
Working together
"One inefficient and risky operator in the midst of several efficient and safety compliant
operators could jeopardise all our operations," he said.
The five-day meeting comes at a time when statistics gathered by the International
Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and other aviation organisations, says Africa's
current aircraft accident rate is nearly 10 times more than the world average.
Kenya had its fair share of accidents too, with a number of them involving light
aircrafts flying either from or to Wilson Airport.
A notable incident occurred in Rift Valley, when former Roads Minister, Kipkalya Kones
was killed along with Assistant Minister of Home Affairs Lorna Laboso in a plane crash
on June 10, 2008.
http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/InsidePage.php?id=2000027986&cid=14&j=&m=&d
=
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ANZ to begin replacing 737s with new A320s
Air New Zealand (ANZ) will receive the first of an order of 14 Airbus A320s today, as it
begins replacing its Boeing 737-300s with the new narrowbodies.
The first A320, registration ZK-OAB and painted in a special all-black livery, will touch
down at Auckland Airport this afternoon, says the Star Alliance carrier.
Configured with 171 seats, the A320s will increase ANZ's domestic capacity by almost
30%. Its 737s have 133 seats each.
"The first four will be delivered this year and the remaining ten progressively through
until 2016, coinciding with the expiry of our current 737-300 aircraft leases," says
ANZ's general manager Scott Carr.
ANZ already operates 12 A320s, according to Flightglobal's ACAS database.
The aircraft it will receive today will arrive in Auckland after a three-day journey from
Airbus' manufacturing facilities in Toulouse via Gander, Denver, Los Angeles and
Samoa.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
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Crandall joins Southern Air board
Former American Airlines chairman and CEO Robert Crandall has been appointed to the
board of directors at US cargo carrier Southern Air Holdings.
Crandall is an airline industry veteran, working for American for 25 years, including a
long stint as chairman and CEO from 1985 to 1998.
"Bob is renowned in the industry and his decision to join our board is an important
endorsement of what we are accomplishing at Southern Air," says Southern Air CEO
Daniel McHugh.
"His deep knowledge of the aviation industry and proven track record of leadership will
be invaluable as we seek to position the company to be the world's leading ACMI
operator by continuing to expand our customer offerings while maintaining the highest
standards of safety, reliability and customer service."
Southern currently operates a fleet 14 Boeing 747 and two Boeing 777 freighters for
wet-lease customers.
"Southern Air is one of the most experienced and fastest growing air cargo carriers in
the world," Crandall says. "The company has an exceptional record of performance and
great potential in its markets. I look forward to working closely with CEO Dan McHugh,
his management team and the board to support Southern Air's continued expansion
and long-term success."
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
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Airlines to be allowed to insure against ash risk
Loss of business caused by natural phenomena such as volcanic ash clouds will become
insurable for the first time, aviation insurer Swiss Re has announced.
It is launching a product that will cover "non-damage business interruption" losses. The
insurable causes of disruption can include atmospheric ash, the results of seismic
activity such as earthquakes, and meteorological phenomena such as floods, storms
and snow, Swiss Re director Oliver Dlugosch told delegates at the 27 January JLT
Aviation Insurance Conference in Dubai.
Dlugosch emphasised that the cover will only be for the business losses caused by the
phenomena, not any physical damage that may be caused, and that cover is not being
offered for business losses caused by war, pandemics or GPS failure.
The cost of cover will depend on how much risk the customer airline is prepared to take
on itself. For example, it would be cheaper if the airline were to agree to be covered
only for losses resulting from a disruption that continued beyond six days, or for the
losses owing to flight cancellations beyond an agreed threshold.
Dlugosch says he is not sure what level of interest this offer will generate, because he
believes many airlines may continue to self-insure. He adds that it would be important
to spread the risk geographically because too big a take-up in a single geographical
area such as Europe for ash cloud disruption, for example, would expose the insurance
industry to an unsustainably high risk.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP
CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC